A Father's Dilemma
by Cakemixo
Summary: When Lal continues to struggle with her classmates at school, Data tries to help.


A/N This is set during The Offspring. This story is my first attempt to write Star Trek and I'm still getting a feel for how some characters work before I attempt a bigger story. Any and all comments are welcome. Happy readings.

A Father's Dilemma

"Lal is much more aware of what is going on around her."

Data sat opposite of the teacher at her desk. Two days before, she had begun to provide services with Guinan in Ten Forward in order to observe human behavior and bridge the gap between her and the other students. This appeared to be positive news. "Then her work in Ten Forward is succeeding? She is integrating with the other students."

The teacher shook her head. "She's not the problem. The other children continue to be afraid of her."

That news was not so positive. "Are they still laughing at her?""Yes, and it has gotten worse. They are beginning to take her things. And today

it appears they are telling her things just to get her to react."

Data looked out the one way mirror into the classroom. Lal sat by herself at the end of a table; apparently attempting to draw as the other children crowded around the other end with their art tools.

"What did they tell her?"

The teacher sighed. "One of them called her Frankenstein."

Data tilted his head at the disparaging remark in confusion. "I do not understand. If taken in reference to Mary Shelley'swork, Dr. Frankenstein was a man preoccupied with chemistry and attempted to create life from the inanimate. If that story were to be used as an allegory for her existence, she would be more like the creation of Frankenstein."

"That's what she said too." The teacher sighed. "They were insinuating that she was the monster."

Data again looked though the mirror at his isolated daughter. It was clear he had to do something to address this more pressing problem.

Two hours later he addressed it.

"I am considering removing Lal from school." He announced in Counselor Troi's office.

Troi leaned forward in concern. "Has her experience been that negative?"

"Lal has been increasingly aware that she is not the same as her peers. To counter this, she has worked with her socialization and interaction with Guinan in 10-Forward. Even with her improvement in understanding and interacting with her crewmates, her difficulty in interacting with the other children has deepened. I do not know how to help her."

"What has happened, Data."

"The instructor has advised me that the students are telling her things to get a disruptive reaction from her. They refuse to sit near her. They have hidden her things. And Lal has also described small objects being thrown at her being."

"I don't think the problem is with Lal's abilities any longer. The problem is that you don't have any empathy from the children."

Data paused as he considered her words. "I am not certain a sympathetic response would aid significantly in her acceptance."

"No, Data, not sympathy. You don't just want someone to be sympathetic to what Lal is going though, you want them feel empathetic."

Data cocked his head to the side. "Counselor, there is a distinction between the two states?"

"Very much, Data, the difference is between feeling sorry for someone who's hurting, and feeling the exact the exact same thing as someone who's hurting."

Data sat with rampant attention. "How does one transcend to empathy?"

Troi smiled, "Usually they draw from their own experiences. They see themselves going through the experience just as much as they see the one who is going through it."

There was a pause as Data attempted to grasp the meaning for himself. "They self-identify the situation?"

She nodded. "In Lal's case, the children should be realizing that it's not pleasant to be on the receiving end of bullying to help reinforce not doing it themselves.

Data paused again as he continued to process the concept. He looked back to the councilor with something close to determination in his eyes. "Can we simulate empathetic deriving stimuli to create the reciprocal of Lal's current situation?"

A few hours of exhaustive discussion for Troi had left Data ready to give a final try to give Lal a positive school experience. Data stood again behind the one way mirror into the classroom. Lal, he noted, was again confined to one corner of the class as the children spread out and played together in another.

He silently watched as one child, Mark, his memory banks supplied, took a stray paper and crumpled it in his hand. He then threw it at Lal. The paper narrowly missed her head and landed against the wall beside her. She looked up startled and the group of children laughed at her. Distantly, Data recalled many similar incidences both in and outside the classrooms during his Starfleet Academy days. Is this the empathy that he was going to try to evoke in the children? He would have to ask Troi later.

Mrs. Chappell stood next to him as he regarded the classroom. "Counselor Troi will be here momentarily." She paused a moment. "I'm going to go ahead and take Lal out of the class. Then I'll introduce you. I have to say," She admitted, "most parents wouldn't try this if it was happening to their child. You're a very brave parent." Data was left wondering what most other parents would have done as he watched her walk into the classroom and to Lal's corner and spoke and returned with her in tow.

"Father," she said as she entered the room.

"Hello, Lal." Data greeted.

"Are you picking me up from school early again?"

She was referring to her first day at school after Data and Mrs. Chappell had their first parent-teacher conference. "No," Data said, "I am here to speak to the class for you."

Lal straightened at that. "I do not understand, Father."

The outside door opened to reveal the Counselor. "Sorry I'm late," she said.

Mrs. Chappell put her hands on Lal's shoulders, "Lal, I want you to stay with Counselor Troi for a few minutes. Data, are you ready?"

"I am."

"Everyone, I need your attention," Chappell called out. The students all looked back at the teacher from their play spots on the floor. "I need you to take your seats; we have a special visitor here with us today." She motioned for Data through the one way mirror. Data took his cue and walked into the classroom.

"Class, I want you to meet someone. He is the third in command of the ship. I want you to all welcome Lieutenant Commander Data."

As the children applauded, Data surveyed the nine in the room. His memory banks minutes before had filled in names for each of the children. He afforded one last glance back to the mirror, knowing Counselor Troi was there in case she was needed. The looking glass now, however, only offered his reflection. He plunged forward. "Greetings," he said as the teacher retreated back into her office with Troi and Lal. "I wish to know who can tell me what makes you happy."

"Puppies," called Jacob from one side of the room.

"The holodeck," called Sage from the other side of the room.

"Ice-cream!" shouted Matalan from her chair. The rest of the class giggled at that.

"Ice-cream" Data repeated. "If the class were supplied with ice-cream, would you all be happy?"

The class nodded a murmured in agreement.

"What about scared? What makes you scared?"

"When the lights go out," Sage said. Again the class murmured in agreement.

According to Counselor Troi, having children talk about the reasons the emotions occur during an event helps establish emotional awareness in others. Data turned to the girl, "Why?"

"Because you can't see anybody."

"Ah, you would be lonely in the dark?"

The little girl nodded.

Mark called from his seat, "When the ship shakes, we're fighting, that's scary."

Data nodded.

Natalie called out "Captain Picard is scary. I don't think he likes our class."

That was not an answer Data had prepared for. "He does not like your class?"

"We made things for Captain Picard Day that he was supposed to judge. He looked mad when he came in to look at the stuff."

Lewis lifted his head as he remembered, "Oh yeah, he wouldn't talk to anybody either. Does he ever talk to you?"

"Yes," Data said, surprised at this story, "We have had a number of conversations." He almost asked another question about the incident when he caught sight of his own reflection in the looking glass again. He thought for a moment, the pushed forward again. "If you were to get a bad grade on a test and someone was laughing at you because of the grade, how would you feel?"

The class was quiet for a long beat.

"Would you feel happy?" Data prompted.

"No," Sage finally answered, "I'd feel bad."

With Troi's suggestion still in mind, Data asked, "Why?"

Again something unexpected happened. Jacob caught on to where Data was going. "Is this about Lal?"

This caught Data off guard. "Yes. Lal is my child."

"She's strange."

Data paused a moment to consider what to say next. Troi had practiced a variation of this with him. "Would it surprise you to know that she finds all humans strange?"

"Why?" asked Lewis.

"Because she is not human. We are artificial life forms. We have to learn how live among humans."

"Why do you have to?" asked Matalan.

"If we did not, we would be alone."

The class was quiet for a long moment again. Then finally Sage spoke again, "Does that make her sad?"

The discussion had gone on for several more minutes. The children asked so many questions the presentation ran significantly late. Now Lal was sitting next to Sage who was showing her how to draw a dog.

Troi and Data watched for several minutes behind the one way mirror before Data spoke. "Sage and the other students appear to be much more accepting of Lal's presence."

"'Yes they are," agreed Troi, "They're showing a great deal more empathy than before."

Data nodded. "Then I have succeeded. Thank you for your assistance, Counselor."

Troi smiled. "That was a very good thing you did in there, Data."

"I did it for Lal."


End file.
